A Regatta of the Ages

By

John Papadopoulos

1997 Class Championship Regatta Co-Chair

The 39th annual Lido 14 Class Championships Regatta was held this July 12th through the 15th on Huntington Lake, located East of Fresno California in the High Sierra mountains. This year's event was especially exciting as it joined with the 44th running of High Sierra Regatta, bringing together what many consider to be the two most important Lido 14 regattas of the season.

The event started off with an informal practice race on Friday July 11th, registration, and an excellent clinic and keg of Don Barrus brewed "Mud Bug" beer, both sponsored by George Szabo of Sobstad Sails. As is typical of Huntington Lake regattas, several informal social events carried on into the night in surrounding campgrounds and cabins.

The High Sierra Regatta runs over Saturday and Sunday with three long races that cover most of the territory of the lake. These races were used to determine the Gold and Silver flight standings of the Championships competitors while giving everyone, including non Championship competitors the opportunity to compete for a coveted High Sierra Regatta trophy. The winds were Huntington Lake standard issue which are generated by the temperature differential between Fresno and the Lake (about 6000' difference in elevation). These winds are classically up at 10 A.M. and down by 5 P.M., almost good enough to set your watch by, about 12 knots, and slightly shifty. The competition was tough but by the end of the weekend, the team of Chris Raab (four time Lido 14 Champ) and Nick Scandone (both of Fleet 1 Newport Harbor) had won out over the teams of 1996 Class Champion George Szabo and crew Jeff Baker and perennially strong Robertson family (Stu & Erin of Fleet 7, Alamitos Bay).

Sunday evening, after the High Sierra Regatta awards, everyone cleaned up to attend a buffet dinner at the Lakeshore Resort. After dinner, the Class Association annual meeting was held to vote in new officers and to attend to other business matters. A lengthy discussion was held on the subject of whisker pole launchers and hiking pants, both being proposed as legal additions for the sake of comfort. (see aside for new officers).

With Gold and Silver Flights determined from the High Sierra Regatta scores, all the championship competitors started fresh (no carry over) on Monday morning with three races. The courses, using the majority of the permanent High Sierra Regatta marks and an additional windward mark set in the middle of the lake, strove for classical windward leeward courses to encourage competitors to sail the main body of the lake rather than the traditionally favored shorelines.

But the lake and tradition run deep, and the long starboard tack sprint from the leeward end of the starting line to the left (South) lake shore (a.k.a. The Boy Scout Camp) ended up being the preferred path for racing, despite efforts by the race committee to favor the windward side of the starting line.

The first race proved to be an inauspicious beginning in that the windward marked vanished some time after the preparatory period, calling the race committee into action by placing a power boat in place of the mark and flying the missing mark flag. The leaders of the first race failed to notice the flag and continued to battle it out up the left shore of the lake only to realize that they had overstood the mark and had to reach downwind, losing valuable distance. Lots of red flags were flown in protest over the mark issue but ultimately the race committee found that the new rules were correctly followed and that the race would stand. Ultimately, the top competitors showed why they are at the top and pulled back out in front to secure their positions.

Races 2 and 3 proved to be comparatively uneventful on the water with the exception that George Szabo, Chris Raab, and Stu Robertson were all tied at 6 points apiece. Unfortunately for Chris Raab, a protest against him for illegal kinetics was upheld and his 6 quickly turned into 20 points, putting him into 6th place.

Monday evening, another great social gathering, this time hosted by Jean & Henry Nash (of Alamitos Bay). Bring your own treats was the order of the day and by all means they did arrive! Chips, dip, snacks a plenty, and another round of "Mud Bug" beer (this time it was delicious Steam beer, again courtesy of Sobstad), were truly enjoyed but the real hors d'ouvres were the great racing stories, hot go fast tips whispered here and there, and morsels of local knowledge. If you didn't make it, you'd already lost!

Tuesday winds right on the clock, the race committee has fashioned a replacement windward mark, and placed a guard nearby it to keep the (alleged) thief of the earlier windward mark at bay. The time is to consolidate and be cautious, as the championship series of five races doesn't include a throwout.

Race four saw a repeat of the earlier races, this time with George winning, Stu 2nd, and Chris Raab 3rd, exactly corresponding to their overall positions within the regatta.

In race five, Don Barrus and crew Dave Porter (2nd place in 1996 Championships but currently suffering from a PMS and a DSQ) finally found the on switch and scored a 2nd place finish...or so they thought. Another PMS sent him right back down again, giving gave Raab a 2nd place in race 5, followed by Mike Pinckney, and Stu. The grand tally...George Szabo and Jeff Baker: 7points, Stu, Erin, and Russel Robertson: 13 points, Chris Raab and Nick Scandone: 25 points.

To George Szabo, 1996 and 1997 Lido 14 Class Champion! Here Here!

The Lido 14 Class is home for some of the best sailors in North America. We continually attract new talent and grow talent from within, ensuring that the class will thrive for the years to come. We also attract a very diverse group of sailors, from those that manage to get into their Lido's just once in a while to those that race 60 or more days a year. And perhaps most importantly, the Class attracts sailors of all ages. This year's class championships saw boats skippered by a 21 years old, on the "up and coming" side of the age scale, and a 78 years old, on the "up and still going strong" side. In fact, of the 30 entrants in the Class Championships, four are in their seventies, and one turned 80 the week following.

It was with great honor that two special awards, provided by sponsors Ullman Sails and Harken, were presented to the youngest and eldest skippers in the championship regatta.

Ullman Sails awarded a beautiful Mylar carrying bag for the youngest skipper, Thomas Jenkins, age 21, of Fleet 59 (Morro Bay, CA)

Harken, a supplier of equipment used on the 6000 series of Lidos, awarded a soft cooler bag for the eldest skipper, Stan Churck, age 78, of Fleet 6 (Alamitos Bay, CA).

As a final thanks, all those that contributed to the class championships including: Kit Lockwood (meals), Paul & Etta Williams (scale model trophies), Bob Yates (registration), Pat & Sara Kincaid (registration), Maryiln Patterson (registration), Gary Thorne (Notice of Race & SI's), Bill McCord (Regatta Co-Chair), Stephanie Faillers (photography), Russell Varon (T-shirt artwork), Steve Sherry (Lake Shore banquets), Sobstad Sails, Ullman Sails, and Harken (clinic, awards, and participation gifts). Without the valued contributions of these and others, the event would not have been, as was quoted by long time Lido 14 Class Association member Stu Robertson, "The best Lido nationals I've ever been to".

And thus, it is with great pleasure that we honor George Szabo and Jeff Baker as the 1997 Class Champions and that we commemorate the 1997 Class Championship Regatta as a "regatta of the ages".